METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PASSIVE, PROPORTIONAL, VALVELESS GAS SAMPLING AND DELIVERY

• Main Authors: Candell, Lawrence M, THOMPSON, Kyle, Siegel, Andrew M, Shaw, Gary A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 23.01.2020
• Subjects: DIAGNOSIS; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; IDENTIFICATION; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; SURGERY

A fluid dynamic valve passively allows fluid flow out of a moving stream in one flow direction and not in the reverse. This allows the collection of fluid from a single direction of an AC fluid flow. The siphoned portion of the flow has a flow rate proportional to the mainstream flow. This device can collect exhaled breath or selective entrenchment during inhale. In one orientation, it can meter aerosolized particles into an inhale breath stream for pulmonary delivery, without complicated breath timing or possible large scale drug loss due to drug adsorption to the back of the throat. Alternatively, a user can breathe through the device and a proportional amount, relative to the volumetric flow rate, of each exhale can flow into an auxiliary chamber for analysis. In this arrangement, the fluid dynamic valve replaces the mechanical pump in a metabolic measurement apparatus. It collects a proportional volume of the exhale and none of the inhale for mixing-chamber breath analysis. In addition, the device also has to have a low respiratory burden and be comfortable to use.